A worker from Valentine Construction applies a
cemetitious coating to Evans Hall, a process called
"parging," as part of a repair project begun last
summer.

According to project manager Michael Toporkoff, Evans'
troubles were caused by rebar that was positioned too close
to the face of the concrete during construction. The rebar
had been attacked by moisture, which expanded and broke off
the surface concrete in chunks.

To repair the 10-story building, workers blasted the
surface with high-pressure water jets. They then applied a
bonding agent and rust inhibitor to the exposed rebar and
patched the surface. The parging protects the surface and
inhibits future absorption of moist salt air.

Capital Projects is currently reviewing color schemes for
the final elastomeric coating, looking for colors that help
articulate underappreciated architectural elements of the
structure without creating "a Ramada Inn," says Toporkoff.
"We want to maintain respect for the architectural history
that surrounds the building."